The cream on top of breakthrough season for Queensland trainer

AAP - Friday October 6

Paul Butterworth has capped a great 2016-17 season by winning the Wayne Wilson Medal for an outstanding effort by a Queensland trainer.

Advertisement

He was the only Queenslander to train a Group I winner for the season when Capital Gain won the JJ Atkins Stakes at Doomben in June.

Butterworth was one of 12 monthly winners for the Medal which is named in honour of race caller Wayne Wilson who died in 2014.

In the overall vote he scored 172 points to beat Magic Millions Classic-winning trainer Toby Edmonds (162), Tony Gollan (141) and Desleigh Forster (137).

"It is a great honour for a young trainer like me to win this award which is much sought after. I have been lucky to get a Group I horse," Butterworth said.

He said Capital Gain was back in work with a light Brisbane summer carnival in mind.

"Capital Gain will head south in the autumn with the Rosehill Guineas and the Australian Derby our aims," Butterworth said.

He hopes his good run will continue with promising juvenile Baby Boo in the two-year-old fillies race at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

"She won a trial in good style but it is a strong race," Butterworth said.

Ben Currie, who trained 103 winners last season, was named Rising Star and Rockhampton's Tom Button won the encouragement award.

The Queensland branch of the Australian Trainers' Association has also announced it has raised about $50,000 for trainer Darren Bell who has been forced out of the industry.

Bell was left with debts of $100,000 after Racing Queensland closed his stables because of a strangles outbreak.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Tarzino Stayer Wins G3 Geelong Cup
Trainer Paul Preusker will get another tilt at a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after Torranzino ran out a strong winner of the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on Thursday.
Coolmore Favs get the Flemington Straight Experience in Jump Outs
Beiwacht, Beadman and Skyhook, three of the top four in the market for next month’s Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes had a jump out down the Flemington straight on Friday with Beadman quite the eye-catcher.
NZB Breeze Up Footage Now Available to View Online
The highly anticipated Breeze Up videos for NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale are now available to view online at nzb.co.nz.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
The Rosehill trials on Friday morning featured a couple of juvenile heats and both winners came out of the Widden Stud draft at Magic Millions with one topping the sale at $2.8million and the other selling for a modest $150,000.
Magic Millions First Digital Sale - Opportunities Aplenty
Bidding is now open for the first Magic Millions Digital Sale with opportunities across all levels of the market for prospective buyers.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 MVRC Cox Plate
An emotional week in Australasian racing approaches its crescendo as we count down to the final Cox Plate before a radical new era in its history begins and we mourn the passing of one of its greatest champions.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 23
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.